Glitter bombshell
The pains of being dressed are something Leighton Meester knows all too well. As Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl, her costume changes are as frequent and over-the-top as her character's mood swings. So when Meester was pinched by a rogue zipper at the fitting for our cover shoot, she laughed. "It's OK," she joked. "I'm just going to have to sue you now. No big deal." On set at Industria Studios in NYC, Meester brought a sense of humor and rocker edge to the high-glam looks of chiffon and sparkle provided by the MC fashion team. The result: a wardrobe worthy of Glinda the Good Bitch. Blair Waldorf would most certainly approve.

Highlights from Miss Meester's interview are as follows. For more, be sure to pay a visit to Marie Claire!

On growing up:
"My family has a crazy history. Probably the craziest I've heard of. I look back now and I see it in a nice light. It wasn't uncomplicated. But I played outside. I went to the beach. There were happy, fun times."

On having little use for self-pity:
"You can take what is handed to you and use it as an excuse to mess up. But I've always handled what was given to me by life. I consider myself lucky. I was never lied to. And I was loved."

On not having or wanting a true childhood:
"I worked a lot, even though I was just a kid. It seemed normal to me. I couldn't relate to kid stuff. 'Jimmy doesn't like me!' Who cares? I was worried we didn't have gas money or food. Those were my concerns."

On getting stronger through suffering:
"When you see how you react when you suffer, that's when you know what you are made of."

On her indifference towards relationships:
"I never had a boyfriend until I was 18. It's nice, I guess - when you like them. But it isn't the most important thing. I'm not sure I ever want to get married. The only time a relationship is good is when you really love them. I don't want to hang out with some guy I just like."